A Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund has been set up by Ōpōtiki District Council to support the people and places directly affected by the severe weather events earlier this year.

The fund is to provide financial assistance to individuals, families, small businesses, community organisations and marae experiencing hardship following a significant natural disaster.

Ōpōtiki Mayor David Moore said a generous contribution from central government of $100,000 opened the fund this month.

“It’s great to see this support from Government and really appreciate Minister Mark Mitchell providing the pūtea to support our community as we get back on our feet after those weather events. And also, a particular acknowledgement for East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick, who I know has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure our part of the country isn’t forgotten during these national events.

“Our community has been through a really tough time with the recent weather events impacting properties and households across our rohe.

“The closed roads and long-term impacts are still being felt and this fund is a way to help whānau to move forward to recovery.

“The fund aims to help people, organisations like marae and volunteer groups, and small businesses in our district who have been affected by recent flooding and storm damage.

“If you have tried all other avenues like insurance and WINZ, but are still out of pocket and struggling to meet the costs of clearing debris or replacing essential items, then I encourage you to apply through the council website,” Mr Moore said.

The fund can assist with:

■ Basic household needs and essential personal items (where uninsured or underinsured)

■ Clearing debris from properties

■ Assisting with insurance excess payments

■ Replacing essential uninsured or underinsured items

The fund is intended as a last-resort measure, where other sources of assistance such as insurance or government assistance through Work and Income have already been explored.

Applications must be submitted in writing and will be assessed and prioritised against the fund criteria available on the council website.